Saturday’s Moral March to the North Carolina state capitol was a watershed moment in the faith community’s long movement to build a more perfect union in the face of injustice. More than 80,000 people cheered in joy as Rev. William Barber II invoked the Gospel and the prophets in a message far more bold and profound than any stump speech you’ll ever hear. This was no political rally, it was a faithful call to higher ground.

In an era of political paralysis, it takes a deep moral critique such as this to change the terms of debate in the halls of power and in the media.

For example, until very recently politicians could dismiss the discussion of economic inequality – one of the defining issues of our time — as class warfare. Now, thanks in part to the witness of faith leaders like Rev. Barber, the Nuns on the Bus, and most recently Pope Francis, it’s a debate that cannot be silenced.

Instead of stale arguments about the size of government and overwrought rhetoric about austerity, political leaders must now confront a much more important issue: the soulless way our economy excludes families while showering an elite few with near boundless wealth.

The conviction that a moral economy must strengthen families and allow all people to live with dignity has taken hold, and it will only grow stronger as we continue to preach and march.

Faith leaders are deeply involved with the Medicaid expansion fight in Ohio, where key GOP legislators who support extending health coverage to 300,000 low-income Ohio families, children and seniors are facing political intimidation from right-wing groups. Americans For Prosperity, a Tea Party group financed by the Koch brothers, has launched attack ads against Rep. Barbara Sears and other Republican lawmakers across the state who are putting the health of struggling Ohioans before the political agenda of the Tea Party.

Our friends at Nuns on the Bus Ohio have mobilized Catholic Sisters statewide to confront these attacks. As a result of their diligence and conviction, more than 140 Sisters have released a hard-hitting statement calling on the Koch Brothers to search their souls about their opposition to Medicaid Expansion, saying in part

We know from our ministry to those living on the margins that a lack of health care is a constant burden that unnecessarily weighs on families. Medicaid expansion will provide immediate relief.

Sadly, wealthy activists are organizing in Ohio and across the country to deny health care coverage to pregnant women, the disabled and elderly in nursing homes by undermining Medicaid expansion. Americans for Prosperity, the advocacy group backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, has made this a top priority. This is unconscionable. It is shameful that billionaires who can access the best medical care in the world oppose basic health care for the poor. We urge these corporate leaders to search their souls, consider the pain of so many families and stop this reckless campaign.

The economic and moral arguments for Medicaid expansion are strong enough to unite groups that normally find themselves on opposite sides of debates. For example, the Ohio Hospital Association and the labor union SEIU, as well as Ohio Right to Life Organization and NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, have joined forces in support of Republican Governor Kasich’s decision to expand Medicaid. Kasich himself cited his faith as an inspiration for his position.

Ohio “Nuns on the Bus” released a statement today denouncing the Koch Brothers deep-pocketed campaign to oppose Medicaid expansion that will help the state’s poor and most vulnerable populations. The Koch Brothers’ front group, Americans for Prosperity, has launched attack ads against Rep. Barbara Sears and other lawmakers across the state who endorse Medicaid expansion that will improve the lives of pregnant women, the disabled and elderly in nursing homes. Similar obstruction campaigns are being waged by the Koch Brothers in Virginia, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

More than 100 hundred Catholic nuns in Ohio are telling Americans for Prosperity to stand down.

“It is shameful that billionaires who can access the best medical care in the world oppose basic health care for the poor,” the Catholic sisters write. “We urge these corporate leaders to search their souls, consider the pain of so many families and stop this reckless campaign.”

“In communities across our state, Catholic sisters see firsthand the urgent need for Medicaid expansion,” said Sr. Geraldine Nowak, OSF of Toledo. “Lawmakers like Rep. Sears should be applauded, not demonized, for standing up for commonsense reform that will provide vital healthcare coverage to an additional 275,000 uninsured Ohioans, including 26,000 veterans.”

Today’s statement follows last year’s Ohio “Nuns on the Bus” tour with Nuns traveling across the state highlighting the values at the center of their faith — solidarity, justice and the common good. Ohio “Nuns on the Bus” toured the state and stood with fellow people of faith to highlight dangerous federal budget cuts and to call on Democrats and Republicans to support a faithful budget that affirms the life of all of God’s children – not just the wealthiest few. Today, Catholic sisters are continuing their pursuit of justice by shining a light on outside corporate interests who are bullying their way around Ohio politics.

“As a mental health professional, I see far too many lives shortened and diminished due to a lack of access to basic healthcare, said Dr. Sr. Fran Repka, RSM of Cincinnati. “We applaud Ohio’s Controlling Board for their approval of Medicaid Expansion and urge the Koch Brothers to leave Ohio policymaking up to the people of Ohio.”

The Catholic sisters applaud Governor John Kasich’s support of the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid and are committed to working with lawmakers to ensure the full implementation of this life-saving reform.

The full statement with signatories is below.

As Catholic sisters with Nuns on the Bus, we stand with the Catholic Conference of Ohio and leaders of Catholic hospitals in support of Medicaid expansion. Providing quality medical care to the most vulnerable is central to our pro-life commitment and consistent with our faith tradition’s concern for the common good. We know from our ministry to those living on the margins that a lack of health care is a constant burden that unnecessarily weighs on families. Medicaid expansion will provide immediate relief.

Sadly, wealthy activists are organizing in Ohio and across the country to deny health care coverage to pregnant women, the disabled and elderly in nursing homes by undermining Medicaid expansion. Americans for Prosperity, the advocacy group backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, has made this a top priority. This is unconscionable. It is shameful that billionaires who can access the best medical care in the world oppose basic health care for the poor. We urge these corporate leaders to search their souls, consider the pain of so many families and stop this reckless campaign.

The Koch brothers are targeting lawmakers, including Republican state Rep. Barbara Sears, who support Medicaid expansion. Fear and bullying will not win out over courage and hope. We are grateful for her moral leadership and other elected officials who are putting family values and human dignity before narrow ideological agendas. We pray that other lawmakers do the same.

The results on election day once again showed voters’ commitment to progressive priorities like health care and better wages that strengthen families.

In Virginia, one of the key differences between Ken Cuccinelli and Terry McAuliffe was their disagreement over health care. Cuccinelli, who flaunted his pro-life credentials and “family values,” nonetheless took an anti-family position by opposing Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid even though it would provide 400,000 currently uninsured Virginians access to affordable coverage. Voters backed McAuliffe, who supports Medicaid expansion, while rejecting Cuccinelli’s immoral agenda – meaning that struggling families, seniors and children in Virginia will get the care they need.

In New Jersey, voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and indexing it to inflation. This not only helps hardworking, low-income families make ends meet, but also shows that Governor Chris Christie’s re-election doesn’t signal a turn toward economic conservatism among Garden State voters. And while Christie is no moderate, he accepted Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid. In Election Day’s two statewide races, Tea Party extremists have nothing to celebrate – but the working poor do.

Campaigns to raise the minimum wage are gaining steam at the local, state and federal levels, and increasing the minimum wage is overwhelmingly popular with people of faith, from traditionally progressive traditions to more right-leaning groups such as white evangelicals. This will be a major issue between now and the 2014 elections, and faith leaders are part of coalitions in numerous states. Given that a single parent of two children working fulltime at minimum wage falls $4,000 beneath the poverty line, this is very much a family values issue, as well as a matter of justice.

Washington, DC – More than 100 Catholic, evangelical and mainline Protestant leaders issued a statement sharply rebuking irresponsible elected officials for pursuing an “extreme ideological agenda at the expense of the working poor and vulnerable families” by shutting down the federal government.

Signed by prominent pro-life Catholic and evangelical clergy and scholars, as well as progressive Christian leaders, the statement highlights the fact that federal funding for Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) – which provides low-income pregnant women and infants with vital nutrition and health care support — will be cut off as a result of the shutdown.

“We especially challenge those Members of Congress who call themselves pro-life to cease their political posturing on Capitol Hill,” the leaders said. “There is nothing ‘pro-life’ or Christian about taking food away from pregnant women and babies. It is hypocritical and shameful for those who tout their commitment to family values to show such callous indifference.”

Signatories include two former U.S. Ambassadors to the Vatican from Republican and Democratic administrations; Sr. Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK; Rev. Jim Wallis, President of Sojourners; the Leadership Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas; Rev. Richard Cizik, president of the New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good; and Noel Castellanos, CEO of the Christian Community Development Agency.

More than 28,000 members of Faithful America — a fast-growing online community dedicated to reclaiming Christianity from the religious right and putting faith into action for social justice — have also signed the statement.

“It’s time for extreme factions in Congress to stop this reckless behavior, grow up and demonstrate real leadership,” said Sr. Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK, A Catholic Social Justice Lobby. “There is no justification for playing politics in Washington when struggling families, pregnant women and seniors are getting hurt.”

“This shutdown will cause unnecessary pain to families already struggling to make ends meet,” said Noel Castellanos, CEO of the Christian Community Development Association. “Congress has a moral responsibility to act now and do what’s right for the country.”

“The low-income families and hardworking people across Ohio who will suffer because of this shutdown deserve better,” said Rev. Tim Ahrens, Senior Minister of First Congregational Church in Columbus, Ohio. “We all do. It’s time for the tiny political faction that caused this crisis to stop playing games and get back to work.”

The complete statement and list of signatories is below.

As Christians and citizens, we are appalled that elected officials are pursuing an extreme ideological agenda at the expense of the working poor and vulnerable families.

We especially challenge those Members of Congress who call themselves pro-life to cease their political posturing on Capitol Hill. Shutting down the government in a futile effort to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act will hurt low-income pregnant women and infants who receive vital nutrition support. The Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will receive no additional funds during the shutdown.

There is nothing “pro-life” or Christian about taking food away from pregnant women and babies. It is hypocritical and shameful for those who tout their commitment to family values to show such callous indifference.

The shutdown hurts all Americans, including seniors who will see “Meals on Wheels” cut, preschoolers who will be turned away from Head Start, and public servants who will be locked out of their workplaces without pay as bills pile up. This failure of political leadership and responsible governance exposes our nation’s misplaced values.

Struggling families, seniors and pregnant women don’t deserve to be victims of a manufactured crisis in Washington.